Reckless Serenade
by reiatsus
Summary: just him and her; it's the little things that matter
1. silk

**author's note: **sometimes i'll get little ichihime ideas and headcanons in my mind and write, well...partial things. that's how this series was born! just ramblings of an ichihime-ridden heart, varying lengths and themes, so we'll see how it goes. it may go off better than trying to write a long story...i seem to have troubles with those.

**disclaimer:** i don't own Bleach or any of the characters.

**_silk._**

* * *

A pair of golden brown eyes fluttered open in surprise.

"Ah!" she sat up, coppery hair cascading behind her as she did so. "Kurosaki-kun said...what?"

There was no response from her companion. Her brown eyes remained steady on the slowly fading horizon, failing to meet Orihime's concerned gaze. There was no need to answer, or even acknowledge, the question. Both of them knew what had just been said.

After all, it was something she and Tatsuki inherently _knew_.

"I see," she murmured, slowly turning herself enough to face the falling sun, "I...see,"

"Orihime..."

She could feel Tatsuki's fixed stare on her, a look filled with sympathy and a heavy sorrow. It cloaked her in a thick aura, suffocating her. Her lungs burned although she breathed normally.

"Don't," she whispered, refusing to look at her friend's porcelain face, almost out of fear. "Tatsuki-chan...please don't."

_Don't try to convince me._

She heard Tatsuki shift uncomfortably against the grass beside her, the only sound besides the rustling of trees and the occasional swish of the water against the riverbed.

_I'm afraid to agree with you._

"You know," she began, more to herself than Tatsuki, "Kurosaki-kun is strong."

She took a strand of her auburn hair, twirling it in her fingers absently. She didn't dare take her eyes off of the colours in front of her. She watched as the scene slowly dripped shades of gold, coral, and mauve from the depths of the once-blue sky. The lump in her throat seemed to deepen as the bright orange sun started to disappear.

"They need him there," she closed her eyes and breathed deeply, finally finding the words to continue.

Memories of the past ten years flitted behind the comfort of her eyes. She saw his windswept ginger hair against the pitch-black drop of Hueco Mundo, fighting for a chance against the Arrancar. She saw the determination reflect in his chestnut eyes when he decided to rescue Rukia from Soul Society's grasp. She saw the crinkled forehead as he scowled at Urahara, the slight creases that appeared around the corners of his eyes when he was sincerely happy, the special smile he saved especially for Yuzu and Karin when they needed comforting.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up as Tatsuki gave her a comforting squeeze.

"He makes the world safer," she murmured, "he makes it a…better place."

For a fleeting moment Tatsuki gazed at Orihime, lips parted as if she wanted to say something. The urgency in her touch and the anxious look in her eyes was enough to tell her what was on her best friend's mind before she spoke.

"I'm…sorry," she all but spat out, "Orihime, I'm sorry…but…"

_Don't say it, please…_

"…you have to stop him!"

She saw it coming, but it still pierced her heart.

"_You_ are the only one that can stop this! Stop _him_!"

Her heart galloped fiercely in her chest despite the pain that shook her with every pump. She could feel her consciousness slipping – _he_ was slipping – right through her fingers like a silken sheet. How could she be in love with a boy, a man, who was…_dead_?

She knew the answer. She couldn't.


	2. hologram

**author's note:** drabble #2, kind of a headcanon i've always had. based on a filler episode of the anime, i believe episode 109. timeline is _after_ ichigo has had the first fateful encounter with orihime as a shinigami but _before_ she gains her powers (so she's been affected by his reiatsu, although hasn't really figured it out yet).

**and a big thank you to you guys to read, it means so much to me!**

**disclaimer:** do not own Bleach, or any of the characters!

_**hologram.**_

* * *

She really hadn't meant to do it, but it just…_happened_.

Orihime pressed herself tighter against the wall behind her. Around the corner, she heard him continue to speak on, unaware of her presence. She let out a small puff of air from between her lips, relaxing slightly. She had been on her way home when she caught a glimpse of him rushing somewhere ahead. Curiosity got the best of her.

"So, uh, how was your day?"

She slowly edged to the corner and peered around, several locks of hair falling around her as she did so. Orihime squinted through the lazy rays of evening sunlight and focused on the exchange that was occurring just a little bit ahead of her.

"I saw three dogs," she heard a thin voice chirp, "and two cats today!"

Orihime strained to see whom the voice belonged to. She was finding it hard for her eyes to adjust, seeing only a very faint outline of what appeared to be a little girl. She almost seemed to have no substance, light and feathery as if she were nothing but a hologram.

"That's great!" Ichigo replied. The girl looked far from amused.

"No, it's not!" As her face became clearer, she began to see a scowl sweep across her face. "One of the dogs was really cheeky," she stated, folding her arms in annoyance, "no matter how many times I told him not to, he _still_ peed on the telephone pole!"

Orihime felt like giggling, although she forced herself to hold back. In front of her, she saw Ichigo's shoulders shake as he had the same thought and chuckled at the girl's eccentricity.

"Well, I guess that's not very good," he replied with a smile, stooping down so that he was nearly face-to-face with her. It was something so out of the ordinary, something too out of character for him to show openly, but Orihime knew how kind he truly was. Ichigo's reputation at school had built up to nothing short of intimidating, disinterested, and unapproachable. But the underlying belief that he didn't care was just wrong. His body language showed everything, even if that bored expression he usually wore remained plastered to his face.

Orihime found it funny how he went to such lengths to keep this side of himself hidden. But she had to admit, it was…_cute_.

"No…" the girl eventually replied. Her face darkened slightly, and Orihime's heart knotted behind her chest.

The change in mood seemed to jolt Ichigo too, causing him to reach for something to his left. "Oh, that's right," he pulled out what appeared to be several tiny white wildflowers, "these are for you."

At once, his companion's eyes lit up. Her little brown pigtails bounced as she clapped and jumped up and down.

"For me? Really?" She seemed to glow, eyeing the makeshift bouquet he held. "Do you really mean it?"

"Yeah," Orihime spotted his cheeks flush as the girl continued to exude excitement. He awkwardly ran a hand through his auburn hair, clearly a little embarrassed at the reaction. Ichigo moved towards the telephone pole near them and picked up what looked like a clear glass bottle, swiftly slipping the flowers inside. "So…I guess everything is alright now."

The sun was finally starting to set beyond the horizon, hues of orange and yellow bleeding together in the sky. Orihime watched as the two enjoyed some silence, the kind of silence that was appreciative and comfortable. The moment seemed so natural, and she found herself feeling guilty for intruding.

Before she had time to think about leaving, she heard the muffled sob of the little girl. She was hanging her head, covering her eyes with her forearm in order to stop the waterfall of tears. Ichigo looked at her, a small frown clouding his face. Orihime could see the pain in his intensive stare. The quiet need to help was simmering just underneath the surface.

Teary-eyed, the girl managed to get a few words out, taking him – and Orihime – both by surprise.

"Do you think…" she sniffed, "you could come back tomorrow?"

Ichigo straightened and a faint smile appeared on his face. It was comforting to see him happy, as if he had a purpose. It gave Orihime a sense of security. She felt her lips curl.

"Of course," he replied. He placed a hand on her head as if to reassure her. "Until then, no crying alright?"

She nodded, flashed him a dazzling smile, and then – out of the blue – disappeared into thin air.

Orihime blinked, unsure of what she just saw. All she knew was that there was nothing in the space that the girl once was. The only thing that remained from the entire exchange was the stark silhouette of Ichigo against the pale pink sky…

…_and _the warm feeling in her heart.


	3. sweeping

**author's note:** new book cover, new chapter! cliché head canon, maybe? always one i've had, nonetheless. basically any cliché movie moment that exists, i've imagined as ichihime. also; big big _big_ thanks to BabeBee, Ermilius, Saint Sita, and sweet-penelope for the reviews, you guys are wonderful and made me smile!

**disclaimer:** i don't own Bleach, or any of the characters!

**_sweeping._**

* * *

"Which one?"

Ichigo watched as Orihime scooted slightly closer to the booth. Her mahogany eyes narrowed as she scanned the back wall, finally lighting up when they found what she had been looking for.

"That one!"

"What? The bear?" He eyed the scruffy animal perched on the shelf, stuffed into a corner. It seemed like the owner had hidden it from view, opting for the larger, softer, and cuter animals to remain in the spotlight. The one Orihime had singled out was small with very tousled fur, and wore an expression that could only be described as…a frown. "Are you sure, Inoue? Do you want something else? Something…happier, maybe?"

His suggestion didn't fall upon her ears. She was busy talking animatedly to the owner of the booth. Orihime made a gesture to the lonesome bear, to which the man solemnly nodded. The girl then whipped around to face Ichigo, stray locks of her auburn hair flying about as she did so. She beckoned him to come closer.

"Kurosaki-kun!" She spoke breathlessly as he approached, as if her lungs were going to break from excitement. "He says all you have to do is pop one of the orange balloons with three darts or less!"

He glanced over Orihime, noting the presence of what appeared to be about a hundred colourful balloons. They were fastened to a sheet of cork with pieces of tape, just below the shelves of stuffed animals. It seemed simple enough.

"Piece of cake."

"Really?" Orihime swayed back around, biting her lip as she gazed inquisitively at the rows of fist-sized balloons. "It seems pretty tough, Kurosaki-kun…"

Ichigo simply stepped forward, giving the owner a long, hard gaze. He then reached for his wallet and slapped down a few bills, signalling to the man that he was ready to begin. On command, the shopkeeper slid over several darts and stepped aside.

His first throw was way off the mark, about four centimetres from the owner's face, which permanently twisted into a scowl after that.

The second throw was slightly to the left of an orange balloon, a hair so close that it made Orihime's big brown eyes grow wide in awe. _So close, Kurosaki-kun!_

Ichigo's last throw was exactly two rows above, not close, but not far.

The next three throws were no better.

The three throws after _those _were probably the worst of the lot.

And while the last set of throws were likely the best, Ichigo's luck didn't change.

"Fuck," he finally muttered under his breath, glancing at his now-empty wallet, "_Fuck._"

"Is something wrong, Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime asked him, causing him to jump up in surprise. She gazed at him under those sweeping lashes, cocking her head to the side. She maintained the childlike wonder, although he could see something else – amusement – woven into the fabric of her face. He almost didn't want to say anything.

"I, uh," he replied, sheepishly running a hand through his hair, "I'm out of money, Inoue. I'm sorry."

"Sorry?"

"I can't get you that bear you wanted," he finished.

"Oh?" He studied her expression carefully, noting the smile that slowly spread across her face – comforting, a smile so sincere and pure. He almost failed to notice as she moved closer to him, leaning into his body. Her smell was sweet, a mix of cotton candy and lavender. He breathed in, almost forgetting where he was until she spoke once again. "It's alright, Kurosaki-kun."

It was then that Ichigo began to notice a faint blush on the apples of Orihime's cheeks as her eyes shifted between the bear and himself.

"It's alright," she repeated, this time much quieter than the first, "I…"

"You…?"

"I…" that innocent smile of hers was replaced with a coy one, if only for a fleeting second, "only wanted that bear because his funny face reminded me of you, Kurosaki-kun!"


	4. guard

**author's note:** been a long time, hasn't it? what's changed since then...(CANON) (CANON) (CANON)...anyway, this chapter has actually been in the works since this story was last updated, just never got around to finishing it up and posting it! thanks again to everyone who has reviewed, followed, and faved this story even though it hasn't been active. i love you!

**disclaimer:** same old, i don't own Bleach (shoutout to the actual owner Kubo for making my dreams come true, though)

_**guard.**_

* * *

Orihime slowly opened the door, peering inside cautiously. His car wasn't in their parking spot, but she had a creeping suspicion that he was around. She gingerly put her weight on the door, using herself to push into the apartment further.

At once, the room was filled with the sound of paws against the linoleum floor.

"Shhh!" Orihime bounded to the culprit, making sure to land on the tips of her toes. She squatted once she reached her little friend, eyeing it with what she hoped was a chastising look. "We don't know if Ichigo-kun is back, Kei-chan!"

The tiny puppy simply returned the look from behind those tufts of black and white fur, tail motionless, head cocked. Her tongue was absently stuck out, presumably because she had forgotten to retract it after running into the house at full speed. She really _was_ quite cute. For a moment, everything was quiet.

That was, until her canine companion decided to let out a small _bwark _– it was hardly a solid bark, Orihime noted, Kei-chan was too small to let out a full bark, it was definitely more of a _bwark_ – and scamper away.

"Ahh!" The noise, although not loud, was enough to startle Orihime so that she stumbled ever-so-slightly. This small opening allowed the dog to dart around the corner and out of sight. "Kei-chan, you mustn't run around like that, come back!"

She huffed. Who knew that such a small animal could make such a big fuss?

"Oh, Orihime."

She whipped around amidst her thoughts, only to be affronted by the sight of his chest. Startled, her honey eyes shot up towards his face, meeting his inquisitive gaze. The smell of soap lingered on him, and his hair appeared to be slightly wet. He had just gotten out of the shower, she surmised. It explained why she had the feeling he was around, but usually he was easy to sense. His spirit energy was an ocean – vast, lilting and swaying out of him in large, steady waves. Orihime was puzzled as to why she hadn't realized sooner.

"I-Ichigo-kun!" She sputtered nervously, absentmindedly twirling a few strands of her auburn hair between her fingers. "I, uh, didn't realize you were here!"

"Not like you to not notice." A small smirk crept across his face. "Feeling a little distracted, Orihime?"

"Th-that's not it!" She blurted out, even though she knew he was completely right. The stress of sneaking in an animal into a clearly-marked "No Animals Allowed" arrangement was getting to her. Orihime paused just momentarily so that she could listen for the _tippity tap_ of Kei-chan's paws or her painfully adorable yelp. Thankfully, there was none.

"Hm?" Ichigo gave her a quick once-over, and Orihime noted something intangible behind his eyes. "So what was it?"

"Your car wasn't in the parking lot, so I just assumed you weren't here…I guess I just let my guard down," she laughed sheepishly.

In a heartbeat, his face was within an inch of hers, so close that she could make out the small, sun-kissed freckles along the planes of his face, the flecks of gold hidden within his irises. His aftershave, mixed with the crisp scent of shower gel and fresh laundry wafted towards her. It was strangely intoxicating, being so close to him. It made her weak.

"Right," he replied, looking upwards in thought, "I lent my car to Karin, she said she needed it for one thing or another…" It was almost as if he didn't seem to realize the effect he had on her. He looked so cool, so casual. She felt breathless. "But Orihime," he continued, and she could hear the smile in his voice before seeing it, "never let your guard down. Even around me."

Her startled glance was met with a nonchalant shrug and the ghost of the grin. His face was back to looking at her with the utmost normality. As if nothing was wrong, no suspicion evident in his face. He turned away from her, leaving her feeling cold and confused. What did he mean by that?

Orihime cleared her throat, trying to get her muddled thoughts straight. She needed to find Kei-chan, and then sort out where to keep her. Not to mention the problem of telling Ichigo once she had sorted this all out—

"Oh, and the mutt can stay, I guess." He brought the clockwork inside her head to an abrupt stop. She gulped. "Until you find out whoever it belongs to…the landlord's gonna lurk if he hears her yapping, so maybe try harder to keep her quiet," he started to walk back into their room, "eh, Orihime?"

So, _that_ was what he meant.


	5. gossamer

**author's note:** maybe not _just_ him and _just_ her as the description suggests...this one is a look at the relationship from two friends' point of view. :) inspired by the little extra page that was given in the last weeks of Bleach, the spread for our sunshine children titled "love and friendship"

**disclaimer: **i don't own Bleach still, cry

_**gossamer.**_

* * *

"Hey, Mizuiro…"

The afternoon sun hung high in the sky, murky behind a veil of clouds. Everything was hot and still, thick with moisture and speckles of dust. Keigo wiped his forehead with the edge of his jacket, sighing when he felt wetness. It was summer, sure, but it was much too hot for his liking. The school uniform wasn't helping, either – he had rolled up the sleeves, even undone the buttons on the front of his jacket, but nothing had seemed to help.

He looked to his friend, who was either coping extremely well with his internal body temperature, or was simply distracted. Mizuiro – the idiot – was once again lost in the world of his phone, his eyes fluttering back and forth as he read a message.

"Hey, Mizuiro! I'm talking to you!"

Mizuiro didn't look up. In fact, he didn't even flinch. The only movement was his thumb across the keypad of his cellphone.

Keigo let out another sigh. He understood that he often put his friendships under strain with his incessant chatter, but he just wasn't the type to keep quiet about things that worried him or interested him.

"When?"

"What do you mean, Asano-san?" was the casual reply.

"It's the last day of high school, stop pulling this 'distant' shit with me, Mizuiro!" Keigo chirped back, feeling his stomach drop. Of course, he knew his so-called friends liked to mess with him. He still had genuine concerns. He still had trust issues. But, at the moment, he also had other pressing questions. "I mean," he continued, "when do you think Ichigo crossed that line?"

This broke Mizuiro's stance. He looked over his phone to the ground below, where Keigo's gaze was already fixed. Ichigo stood, hands in the pockets of his uniform, listening to Orihime animatedly talk about one thing or another.

"A line?" Mizuiro questioned, expression still bored, "you're not talking about something perverted—"

"N-Nothing like that!" Keigo felt his cheeks get warm. Suddenly looking at the couple made him uncomfortable, and he shifted his gaze away promptly. "The line between being friends, and being something…more."

The feelings Orihime had for Ichigo were evident for quite a while now, many people knew that. It wasn't because she had explicitly _told_ anyone about it. Rather it was the way she spoke of him – her words were genuine, and they held some kind of fervour and respect that was almost ineffable, but definitely ever-present. Her support was constant, but not always close; her presence noted, but never suffocating. The love was there, simply ethereal.

At some point, Ichigo noticed. What she was so him was a good friend, yes, but detectably more.

Mizuiro's face returned to the artificial glow of his phone, tapping away as if nothing had happened. "I've always thought," he began, much to Keigo's surprise, "that the line between Ichigo and Inoue-san's relationship was pretty obscure, pretty blurred," he paused briefly in thought, "like gossamer."

"Gossamer?"

"Correct, Asano-san." Keigo twitched in annoyance. "When Inoue-san is going off on another one of her tangents, does Ichigo laugh because she's being ridiculous, or because he's smitten by her story-telling? Does he offer to walk her home at night because he's concerned about how late it is, or because he wants to spend more time with her? When she's worried, does he give her that look because he's comforting a friend, or because he's in love with her? I think," he turned to Keigo, his voice pensive but expression still nonetheless, "that even now – and before they were officially together – you could see it either way. As friends, or as more. The line is thin, like spider's silk.

"I feel like their relationship is, and has always been, more dimensional than _just_ friendship or _just_ love at any given moment in time. It's both."

Keigo pondered this for a moment. Ichigo could have been in love with her as early as that secretive summer trip all those years ago, or as late as a few months back. She was not only a good friend to him, but something more as well. He wasn't sure what to respond to this, so he opted for settling into a comfortable silence. Mizuiro sure was observant, despite being glued to his phone all day. Sometimes what he said went over his head.

"Why the question?" His dark-haired friend suddenly asked, and Keigo sensed a certain interest laced in his words.

"No reason."

"Is this about Arisawa-san?"

For the second time that hour, Keigo felt his face flush. "N-No! Don't spread rumours! She would literally _kill_ me!"


End file.
